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Albion Small: A Selected Collection of Works: Chapter LI: Conclusion

Albion Small: A Selected Collection of Works
Chapter LI: Conclusion
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table of contents
  1. The Era of Sociology
    1. I
    2. II
    3. III
    4. IV
    5. V
    6. VI
    7. VII
      1. Notes
  2. Static and Dynamic Sociology
  3. Scholarship and Social Agitation
  4. The Sociologists' Point of View
  5. The Scope of Sociology
    1. I. The Development of Sociological Method
    2. II. The Development of Sociological Method, cont.
      1. A. The Importance of Classification.
      2. B. The Use of Biological Figures
      3. C. The Investigation of Dynamic Laws
      4. D. Assumption of Psychological Universals.
      5. E. The desirable combination of methods.28
    3. III. The Problems of Sociology.
    4. IV. The Assumptions of Sociology.
      1. I. The Philosophical Assumption.
      2. II. The Cosmic Assumption.
      3. III. The Individual Assumption
    5. V. The Assumptions of Sociology, cont.
      1. IV. The Associational Assumption.
      2. V. The teleological assumption
    6. VI. Some Incidents of Association.
      1. I. Plurality or multiplicity of individuals.
      2. II. Attraction.
      3. III. Repulsion.
      4. IV. Interdependence.
      5. V. Discreteness or discontinuity of the individuals.
      6. VI. Solidarity or community.
      7. VII. Coordination or correlation.
      8. VIII. Individualization.
      9. IX. Socialization.
      10. X. Subjective Environment.
      11. XI. A social consciousness.
      12. XII. Vicariousness.
      13. XIII. Persistence of the Individuals.
      14. XIV. Justice.
      15. XV. Security.
      16. XVI. Continuity of influence.
      17. Mobility of type.
    7. VII. Classification of Associations.
    8. VIII. The Primary Concepts of Sociology.
      1. I. The physical and spiritual environment.
      2. II. The personal units
      3. III. Interests.
      4. IV. Association.
      5. V. The Social.
      6. VI. The Social Process.
      7. VII. Social structure
      8. VIII. Social Functions
      9. IX. Social forces.
      10. X. Social Ends.
      11. XI. Contact.
      12. XII. Differentiation.
      13. XIII. Groups.
      14. XIV. Form of the group.
      15. XV. Conflict
      16. XVI. Social situations.
    9. IX. Premises of Practical Sociology.
      1. Conspectus of the Social Situation
      2. Grand Divisions.
        1. Division I. Achievement in Promoting Health
        2. Division II. Achievement in Producing Wealth.
        3. Division III. Achievement in Harmonizing Human Relations
        4. Division IV. Achievement in Knowledge
        5. Division V. Achievement in Aesthetic Creation and in Popular Appreciation of Art Products
        6. Division VI. Achievement in Religion
        7. Notes
  6. What is a Sociologist?
  7. The Subject-Matter of Sociology
  8. General Sociology: An Exposition of the Main Development in Sociological Theory from Spencer to Ratzenhofer (excerpts)
    1. Chapter XII: The Problem Restated
    2. Chapter XIII: Ratzenhofer's Epitome of His Theory
    3. Chapter XIV: Elements of the Social Process
    4. Chapter XV: The Nature of the Social Process
    5. Chapter XVI: The Primitive Social Process
    6. Chapter XVII: Stages of the Social Process
    7. Chapter XLIX: The Premises of Practical Sociology
    8. Chapter L: Social Achievement in the United States
    9. Chapter LI: Conclusion
  9. Points of Agreement Among Sociologists
    1. I.
    2. II.
    3. III.
    4. IV.
    5. V.
    6. VI.
    7. VII.
    8. VIII.
    9. IX.
    10. X.
    11. XI.
    12. XII.
    13. XIII.
    14. XIV
    15. XV.
    16. XVI.
    17. XVII.
    18. XVIII.
    19. XIX
    20. XX.
    21. Discussion
  10. Are the Social Sciences Answerable to Common Principles of Method? (pt 1)
  11. Are the Social Sciences Answerable to Common Principles of Method?(pt 2)
  12. The Meaning of Sociology
  13. The Social Gradations of Capital
  14. The Evolution of a Social Standard
  15. Sociology and Plato's Republic (Part I)
  16. Sociology and Plato's "Republic" (Part II)

Chapter LI

Conclusion

One cannot have made the foregoing argument in ignorance that to most minds it must seem a mere churning of words. It affects even rather mature students of social science, and almost invariably specialists in other departments, as a species of speculation for which one can have no serious respect without incurring suspicion of mental unbalance. Men attached to the traditions of the older social sciences, and still more men who have no use for any social doctrine except schemes of immediate reform, honestly believe that sociology is profitless refinement of academic trifles. To this state of mind we must cheerfully respond: If sociology is profitless, by all means let it alone. Wisdom is justified of her children, but she is always compromised when the unwise claim her naternity. It would be a delightful clearing of the atmosphere if fewer people would call themselves sociologists, and more would absorb a very little of the sociological spirit. Each. man who has intelligence enough to deal with any portion of social science rationally, or with any part of social amelioration sanely, would be more rational, and more sane, and more effective, if he would learn to place what he does within the larger perspective that sociology affords. There is always danger, to be sure, that reflection will. turn Hotspurs into Hamlets. The philosopher may find so many things to think of that he can choose nothing to do. To that extent and in that sense, sociology, like all science and all philosophy, is a possible hindrance to action. On the other hand, action not sanctioned by science and philosophy is blind, and thought that stops short of the utmost comprehension of its object is impotent. The people who are content with such thought and action invite the penalties of both weakness and vice. The profoundest and most comprehensive thought is not for everybody at first hand. But, while the world does not need many professional sociologists, it does need sociology. For weal or for woe, we have arrived at a stage of life in which social gravitation is more and more arrested and deflected, and perhaps reversed by social theory. Men think today about social relations, and in the spirit of their thought they act. To do the right thing, except by accident, in any social situation, we must rightly think the situation. We must think it not merely in itself, but in all its connections. Sociology aims to become the lens through which such insight maybe possible. There must be credible sociologists in order that there may be farseeing economists and statesmen and moralists, and that each of. us may be an intelligent specialist at his particular post.

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